The Mark of McKlain
by the-Wake-just-after-Midnight
Summary: COMPLETE!Hermoine wakes up to find Draco, her arch nemesis, The boy who's eyes haunt her every step, asleep in her closet and suddenly interested in every part of her life.But will he help her unlock the only riddle she can't answer? The secret of McKlain
1. Fateful February, So Many Years Ago

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl.**

Chapter 1: _That Fateful February, So Many Years Ago_

Hermione Granger was a not a pureblood. This meant that her parents were unable to conger magic. But this also meant something else, she was seen as inferior to many in the wizarding community. They were mainly Slytherins that she could care less about, but there was one, that no matter how she fought, she could never just disregard. Despite her best efforts he never accepted her. No matter how good she got, she was never good enough, not to win his approval, never to win his love. This knowledge haunted all her times of study, causing her mind to wonder more into thoughts of him, and less into those about her books.

His name was Draco.

He was from one of the purest bloodlines around. The Malfoys were powerful, rich, and cruel. Draco was just like them, and yet, Hermione could not release herself from the spell he had unknowingly put on her. She could not just accept his haughty imitation of his father. She refused to believe that such beauty could be combined with such evil. She could not believe that, not after seeing his eyes. Yes, his eyes. That is what had snared her soul. They were piercing and cruel. But Hermione had caught a glimpse of something else in those eyes.

It was a cold February of their first year together. Hermione, as usual, was attempting to out do Malfoy on a project. The problem about this was not that she loved him. No, such feelings had yet to arise in her. The problem was Snape. Snape was the potions master. He also, being the head of their house, favored Slytherins above all others. Now the problem with Snape did not end there, if it had, the problem would have been much less of one. The problem continued with the fact that she was a Gryffindor, Snape's least favorite house. So she was attempting to beat Snape's favorite student, being one of Snape's least, with a project assigned by Snape.

So there she was, working her rear off to make a potion to such a precise degree that Snape would be forced to give her higher marks than his "beloved Draco." Sometimes Hermione thought that Malfoy was so "beloved" to Snape, that Snape was quite possibly gay. But then there was the rumor about McGonagall which suggested otherwise.

Hermione had worked over twenty minutes and was nearly ready for the final step, when something caught her eye. It was Malfoy, and unlike the normal snide mask he wore, he showed a very different expression. He was leaning on his elbows, which rested on his desk, and instead of working vigorously like Hermione expected, he was just staring. And not only was he staring, but he was staring straight at her!

Now Hermione was not used to people staring randomly at her, and she was not sure whether to be offended or not. She also wondered whether something terrible was about to happen that Malfoy wanted desperately to witness. But in any case, Hermione knew that something was definitely not normal, and that since Malfoy was probably just high off fumes, she should go and investigate. So Hermione rose from her desk and began her journey across the room. When she finally did reach him, he just glowered up at her and with his usual monotone asked,

"What do you bloody want, Mudblood?" The retort shocked Hermione greatly. Was this the same Malfoy that had looked so innocent just moments before? Hermione determined that indeed it was, and so it was probably best to ignore him and move on. 

Hermione replaced herself on the bench she had been sitting on earlier. She picked up where she had left on the potion. But then a certain thought occurred to her. Her cauldron had been left unattended, boiling on the burner, and she hadn't kept tract of how long! All her precision was now foiled in a puff of staring Malfoys and wondering friends. Friends who at any moment might inquire as to why she would risk standing up in Snape's class to talk to their worst enemy but not to them. Hermione felt awful. She had betrayed her friends, and she had betrayed her dream. She wanted to beat Malfoy more than anything, if only because she was terrible at arguing with him. Logic wasn't something she could use when fighting him. He was far too good at twisting the truth to his own whim, so Hermione just gave up. It was impossible to win an argument against anyone quite that unreasonable, especially when reason was her only weapon.

What happened next gripped the whole room in surprise. Hermione's potion simply exploded, as if fueled by the anger Hermione was emitting from herself. It covered the walls, it flooded Hermione's desk, spilling out onto the floor, but worst of all, it covered Hermione. From untamable hair to perfectly polished leather buckled shoes, Hermione was covered in green boiled slime. The shocking thing was how cool it really was, considering it had just exploded. That is exactly when Hermione saw the expressions of the students. Lavender, a frightened wisp of a girl, Hermione could have readily pictured her atop a chair screaming "MOUSE," Harry was concerned, Ron was distressed, Neville had fainted, Crabbe, still stupid, Goyle cheered triumphantly, and Malfoy. . .was not what Hermione expected. Malfoy was not snide; he was. . . Words could not even explain the range of emotions that flashed before Hermione's eyes. There was superiority and concern, hate and compassion, restraint and yet the will to break from society and help her, the piercing cold of hatred and warm sorrow of grief. He, Draco Malfoy, displayed in those moments the intriguing confliction to do what he wanted to do or to do what society said he must do. Malfoy gave all appearances of wanting to help Hermione, but also knew that that could not be allowed to happen. Hermione then saw why Malfoy hated her. She was both his superior and inferior, and the thoughts of both serving and ruling her were tearing the mind of this eleven year old apart. Malfoy knew this, but now so did Hermione. He didn't hate her, he resented her for throwing his mind into a conflict on whether to follow head or gut, whether to go with what he believed to be right or with what he was told was right. Malfoy hated how she complicated things.

That was the day when Hermione was changed. She could no longer look upon Malfoy with hatred, no matter how furious he made her. She could never be quite her own person. Malfoy was always there, looming like a plague in the corner of her mind.

But that was five years ago, and Hemione was no longer an "Ickle firsty." She was the top ranking student of her fifth year, which was nearing it's end, and Hermione found herself once again packing her bags and headed for home. She also found herself leaving home, to a place that was once hers, but now belonged to someone else. Her room, though saved for her, had not changed in the years she had left. It no longer belonged to the woman she had become, but it belonged to her parent's child. Things were going to start changing soon, she could feel it, or maybe it was just her wistful desire for change that made it's inevitability so real to her. Hermione was no soothsayer, and she never had been. Fate was not something she believed in, and thus, not something she could predict. But nevertheless, she knew that one day, things would change, and she hoped it would be soon.

Hermione spotted her photo album lying on her bed and picked it up. It was bound with beautiful maroon leather and had her name crested in gold on the front. She ran her fingertips across it's textured surface lightly, then cracked it open. Inside were pictures of Harry and her favorite mischievous redheads, the Weasleys. She grinned. The first few were of their second year together, and being taken by Colin Creevy, were consequently all of Harry. Hermione's grin faded as she came to the first pictures of Hogsmeade. Harry had not been there because Sirius Black was "hunting" him down and it was ". . .far too dangerous." As it turns out both were a lie. Harry wasn't being hunted, least ways by Sirius, and the danger was the dementors, not Sirius! Hermione hated it when, in attempt to protect Harry, the teachers just made it easier for him to be attacked. Hermione turned the page. They were pictures from home. One in particular that caught her eye was a photo where she was holding up the toilet seat Fred and George sent her from Egypt. It was incrested with hand carved hieroglyphics and set with jewels. She didn't know where'd they'd stolen it from, but since she never could figure it out, it was now hanging on her bedroom wall. She looked at the next page of photos but quickly shut her album and rushed to the great hall.

When she arrived, it took her no time at all to locate the group of redheads in the crowded Gryffindor table. Hermione waltzed over to them and plopped into the seat in between Ron and Ginny, thus breaking up the sea of solid red. Once she settled into the empty seat left for her, she immediately immersed herself in any-and every-conversation that sounded even remotely interesting, which happened to be all of them. Harry, Ron, Neville and Lee Jordan were discussing summer plans and book assignments, while Ginny, Collin, and some first years were chattering away happily about the funny experiences with teachers.

". . .when all of the sudden. Poof! He's gone, just like that. We had to get a new teacher." All the girls shrieked in wonder at the tale, save Hermione, who had come in at the climax and didn't find the story in the least bit funny. "So Hermione, do you have a story?"

"Well," Hermione began. "This isn't so much about a teacher, but it's very unfortunate." All the girls leaned in towards Hermione as she told the tale of that fateful February in potions class. And as she came to the end of everyone's expressions, Hermione lied. ". . .and Malfoy was still staring. Just staring blankly at me with those cold orbs of his." Lavender's eyes widened as she leaned further still.

"So _that's_ the reason you blew up the class! Wow, that must've been so weird to have some one just staring at you. _Especially_ Malfoy. I wonder if he hexed your potion." Lavender calmed down a bit and retook her seat at the table.

"Knowing him he probably did," Ginny stated flatly. Hermione merely nodded her head in agreement, but got the overwhelming feeling he hadn't. In fact, she began to sympathize with him. _'What would it be like to become everyone's scapegoat? It wasn't even your fault, and they've already got you tried, convicted, and hanged. Not that you don't deserve it for all the trouble you're worth, but I'd feel better if you're conviction were based on crimes you're actually guilty of.' _

Hermione glanced over at Malfoy. At least one thing in this world could remain a constant. Malfoy and some unfortunate Slytherin girl were having the most suggestive tickling match Hermione had ever seen. The girl was pinned to both there seats and Malfoy was practically on top of her._ 'Yes, _that_ is a very good reason to hang you. You're practically sleeping with a girl in public, and no one is lifting a finger to stop you!' _Hermione groaned. For all her brilliance she could never figure out how he could do things like that, or how girls would let him. Wasn't he smarter than that? Surely keeping those girls around must've been horribly insulting to his intelligence. Or maybe always having a fan club helped him put on the mask of superiority. _'Success no matter what. Isn't that the Slytherin motto? Well, for people who are "so cunning," you sure are dumb blonds.' _

"Disgusting, isn't it?" Lavender whispered into Hermione's ear. "I wish a teacher would catch 'em like that. Wouldn't _that_ be a show?" Hermione didn't answer, she just stared at the two teens, tangled in one another's arms. "Hermione? You in there?"

"Yes."

Hermione finally gave the question some thought. "He really does know how to play the system." Lavender just looked at Hermione as if she were mad. "Oh, Lavender. The reason the teachers haven't called him on it, is because there's nothing they can do to him! We're all going home today. It's not like they'll enforce a detention from the previous year, so what's the point in giving him a punishment when he'll never be punished?" Lavender stared her down as if she had gone mad and the answer were as obvious as a falling piano.

"Human decency."

"Lavender, they probably have told him to stop already, but without a punishment, he's not going to listen." Lavender seemed to finally get it. Hermione crammed the rest of her maple syriped waffles into her mouth and waltzed back up to her room.

Draco Malfoy was one of those people that everyone knew by name and face, but no one knew by heart. In fact, most people liked to assume that he simply didn't have one, which of course, was a lie. He had a heart, but it conflicted so strongly and so often with his common sense that he never did get around to using it. There was once however, when he nearly did. There are always little exceptions to a person's normal behavioral patterns that it takes others by such surprise that often times their own shock kills them; this was one of those times. It was February of his first year, and he nearly helped his Nemesis's best friend. Her potion had exploded all over the room, and Draco nearly helped her clean it all up. But being that he _nearly_ helped but really didn't, there was almost no importance to that day, except that he _nearly_ did something he'd never done before. He nearly followed his heart, which in the end amounted to absolutely nothing.

Draco stepped off the Hogwarts train and onto platform nine and three quarters. Draco had been having a perfectly uneventful day, if you could count an inappropriate tickle fight uneventful, and was not looking forward to waiting around for his father. That's when it hit Draco that his father was not around. That is when he realized that there was no need to wait around at all. It was like being given the keys to your own prison cell, then watching the guards leave without it. This was his moment of glory, his one chance for true freedom. _'All I have to do is hide in a Muggle car, let them drive off to where ever they will, and take the knight bus back to school next year. It's bloody BRILLIANT!' _So while Draco was hammering out the details of his "brilliant" plan, he meandered out of Kings cross station, nearly running into a few passerbys, almost tripping on the steps leading up to the station, and stepped into the parking lot to find a Muggle car. That is precisely when he realized that a Muggle car is no different from a wizarding car in appearance, and that all cars are indeed Muggle cars. "Maybe this wasn't the best idea," he thought to himself.

Then he saw his getaway car, it was a gold minivan. "Or maybe running away is a good idea after all." With lighting speed, Draco pulled out his wand and whispered "alohomora." Suddenly the car doors sprang open before him. Draco walked to the back of the car and tossed his trunk into the back, then he pushed it under the very back seat. Briefly he wondered why he didn't just ride his broom, surely it could take him any where he wanted to go faster than on land. But then he thought about the ministry of magic. His father would have them hunt him down as soon as he was found to be missing, and on a broom that would be easy. In a car however, it would not. Medaling in the Muggle world was probably the last thing anyone expected him to be doing, which was exactly why that's what he'd do.

Draco slammed the back door of the van shut. He marched around to the right side of the vehicle and climbed in through the sliding door. With a flick of his wrist, all the doors shut and locked themselves once more. Draco gingerly slid underneath the back bench seat so he would not be seen. It was times like these he wished he owned an invisibility cloak. It would've been extremely useful when taunting Potty and Weasel. If it hadn't been for Ron's financial situation and Harry's "access" to wizarding supplies he might have assumed that they themselves owned one. It certainly would have explained Harry's floating head at Hogsmeade. But finding himself unable to coup with the thought of not having something that Harry did caused him to decide that Harry indeed did not have one.

Twelve long ungracious minutes passed before the right door to the van was opened again. And during that time, being a creature of impatience, Draco was having a hard time waiting around for the owners of the van to unwillingly get him out of here. He was finding it hard to breathe in the increasingly airless car. He slid out from under the seat and looked out the window. Draco saw the car beside his leave. This whole situation was utterly unnerving. Then he spotted people coming from far off and quickly hid once more.

Hermione followed her parents (and luggage) through the parking lot of Kings Cross station. Across the lot she spotted the car that belonged to her family. She began to walk more slowly, in apprehension of leaving her friends behind. She loved her parents deeply, but it was no surprise that their relationship had slightly deteriorated in the past five years. Hermione always missed them right after break of course, but when the separation turned long and distant, Hermione stopped. She wondered if that was supposed to happen. Sometimes, in the dead of night, she would even think it unfair that she took the relationship so lightly. Harry's parents were dead, and here she was, neglecting hers. She felt that she should at least learn from all the turmoil Voldimort caused the world, but yet she hadn't. Things never seemed to work out the way Hermione thought they should, especially when it came to her own feelings. It was as if they completely disregarded how she felt in every sort of matter.

Hermione looked up and saw a face in the car window peering back at her for the briefest of moments before vanishing. It was another hallucination of Malfoy. Hermione wished they would stop, seeing as they were becoming more tediously annoying by leaps of exponential power. Finally she reached the car to see that there was no sign of Draco. Hermione groaned as she plopped down into her seat. She could hear her parents cram all her school stuff into the back. Hermione was never the neat freak people expected her to be; she always had too many books. Hermione leaned over and unlatched the cage to Crookshanks's cage. The cat pounced upon her lap, if the huge lump of fuzz could even be called a cat. But no matter what the truth was Hermione was in love with Crookshanks's eery perception and persona of innocence.

The Grangers' packing soon came to an end and they piled into the car to leave. Little did they, or anyone for that matter, know that Draco lay just beneath the bench of their car.  
**  
A/N Thank you for reading this chapter! Please review.**


	2. Passing for Black

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

Chapter 2: _Passing for Black_

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. But I was having a hard time writing. (I was on vacation!) please forgive my absence.**

Hermione woke up the next morning completely in ignorance about the car trip home. She remembered very little of it, which immensely bothered her, and what she did remember was of no significant value whatsoever and not worth mentioning.

Groggily she pulled the covers higher above her head. It was very exhausting to her to forget large gaps of time and she knew that the only way to feel better was to sleep. It was also exhausting for it to be as cold as it was. Who's business was it to make it this cold in summer? Well, they'd have to answer to her about it. They should have known by now that meddling with the weather was a high crime, especially in the morning.

Hermione soon found that all this bothersome exhaustion was going to prevent her from sleeping and she might as well wake up. She also made up her mind that it was too cold to not have some sort of jacket, so she headed to her closet to find one. The door opened much like a door that needed a good session with Richard Simmons, which didn't surprise her, so it took a couple of good yanks to pry it from it's spot.

Hermoine gazed about her closet. There was something amiss about it, which almost worried her, because she couldn't quite place her finger on what it was. But the culprit was spotted with almost finesse. As she grabbed a sweater, which had fallen to a heap of outgrown robes, she spotted the head of none other than Draco Malfoy.

"What do you bloody want Mudblood?" Draco's now visible form sneered at her. Hermione's eyes widened. How dare that pig sleep in her room and then demand that sort of information from her in the exact same way as when they were eleven!

"To know what you're bloody doing in my closet, that's what I want!" Hermione held the sweater firm in her grasp as she whacked him over the head with it. Draco rose to meet her assault and loomed over the five and a half foot girl.

"That is no bloody way to treat a superior." Draco took the sweater from her and whacked her back.

"When I see my superior I'll let you know. Until then, this is my house. My room. AND I DEMAND AN ANSWER!"

Draco pushed past her without so much as a word and lounged on her bed. Hermione gave up talking to him and decided for a more drastic action.

"I can do whatever I choose, mudblood."

Hermione pulled out the floor lamp from her wall and threw it at him.

"Not in my house you don't!"

"It's not your house. It's our house. Or didn't your parents tell you I moved in." Hermione fell over onto the floor and began to cough sporadically.

"How. . .the hell. . .did you. . .manage that. . .you. . .bastard?"

"Simple. They think I'm their son. Unlike you, I actually look like them." With that remark Hermione jumped to her feet and tackled him.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You don't look a thing like my parents! And why, why, didn't you go back to that snake pit where you live? Why are you here, in my house, putting spells on my parents, and who's forcing you to do it?" Hermione managed to pin him to her head board by the throat for a moment, but soon released so he could answer.

"Like you said. I hexed them. And no one forced me to do anything. I'm just not fond of snake pits and decided to live somewhere. . .different." Draco rolled so that he was no longer being tackled but now had the upper hand. Hermione pulled out her wand from underneath her pillow and sent him flying off of her. He landed at the foot of her bed cool as ever.

"But with me? Sharing a room? That's just weird."

"No one else hated me enough to let me stay." Draco sat up and moved toward her. "By the way, don't you think you're a bit paranoid to sleep with a wand under your pillow?" Draco grabbed for the wand but missed.

"Apparently not." Hermione stood up and walked toward her door. "I'm going downstairs before you make me sick." Draco darted in front of her and blocked her path.

"Oh no you don't. I can't have you undoing the spell. You're going to stay right here until it's permanent." Hermione pointed her wand at his nose but he snatched it from her grasp.

"How would I do that?"

"I don't know. I don't even know how I did the hex in the first place. But now that I'm a Granger, I'm not going to lose what I got."

"Why are you so bent on being my brother!" Hermione couldn't understand it. They hated each other, and suddenly, after all this time, he wanted to live with her? She didn't even want to know how his mind worked anymore.

"Well, for one thing I won't have to associate with Crabbe or Goyle just because of family connections all summer, or any summer, I won't have to live with my father or mother, I can spy on your friends all I like, and. . ."

"Malfoy. You obviously didn't think this through. You're not my brother. You don't even like me. You don't even like my family. THEY'RE MUGGLES!"

"I don't care." Hermione thought about slapping him to make whatever hex he'd been put under go away, but his response stopped her dead in her tracks.

"You what?"

"I met them last night. I saw how they were with you. I saw how you were with them. I got a chance to talk with them. To be their son. I wanted to know how it felt to be you. And I like how it feels being you. All these years I've been trying to beat you. Trying to prove my family was better than yours, but it's not. I like how it feels to be a Granger. Even if it means pretending to be a mudblood. Because in the end I know I'm not. I'm still Draco."

Hermione walked over to her bed and sat down.

"I heard of passing for white-, but never passing for black." Draco walked over and sat down beside her.

"Why must you make stupid muggle references that you know I won't understand?"

"Because I don't like you. And if my culture bothers you so much, why don't you get off your raciest high horse and learn what I'm talking about. I learned your culture, so did Harry.

"If you insist on being a Granger. BE a Granger. And tell me how you hexed my family so I can change them back!"

"I don't know. All I know is what happened.

"I hitched a ride under the back bench of your car yesterday. (It's not like I knew it even was your car.) And when you all piled out and went inside, I got up. My original plan had been to just leave, but I'd heard you and your parents talking, and something about it made me want to know more. So there I was, in a car that was getting very hot, using a spell I got from the restricted section to listen in on your conversations. And for some reason I wanted nothing more than to be apart of what I saw. You all loved each other so much. But anyways, it was getting hot and I had found this vile of liquid where I was hiding, so I drank it."

"What does that have to do with anything Malfoy?" Hermione asked, slightly annoyed.

"Shut up. It's important. Anyway, I got bored, so I knocked on your door to maybe get some breathable air. But when your parents opened the door, they called me son and showed me to my room after talking with me for about an hour and a half."

"You mean my room."

"Well, naturally. It's not like sleeping in your room was my idea."

"So how do you explain me remembering?"

"I can't. All I know is that your parents think I'm their son, and actually took more time to talk with me than my real parents ever have. And now that I told you what you wanted to know, you're going to tell me everything you know about my life."

"You're a selfish pig who thinks he can steal my family. You were raised in a mansion by house elves and they hate your guts. Oh yeah, and so does your mom." Draco pinned Hermione by the neck to her head board.

"I was referring to _your_ childhood, Mudblood." Quickly he let go. Hermione began to rub her neck. Obviously she'd hit a major nerve.

"Draco, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. . ."

Draco cut her off. "So now it's Draco is it? Now that you dragged my mom into this it's Draco? Next thing you'll be calling me bro. For once I want to start over. I want freedom. I want the right to not have you complicate things. For once I thought that you would just leave me alone! But you know what? I was wrong! Dead, wrong." Draco stood up from the bed and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione wondered what about what she'd said had set him off so much. She felt like no matter what she did he would hate her. Even if she was nice he wouldn't be.

_I know a girl  
she puts the color inside of my world  
she's just like a maze  
where all of the walls all continually change _

I've done all I can  
to stand on the steps with my heart in my hands  
Now I started to think  
maybe its got nothing to do with me.

so fathers be good to your daughters,  
daughters will love like you do,  
girls become lovers who turn into mothers  
so mothers be good to your daughters too.

_'Somehow, I think it's got nothing to do with me. It's got his parents written all over it. I think I should help him all I can.'_ She laid back down on her bed and fell asleep.

**A/N: Those lyrics were from Daughters** **by** **John Mayer. Hope the second Chapter was better. I thought it was. **

**-Passing for white is when a black person with extremely light skin says they're white because they used to get better jobs. **


	3. The Attic's Rafters

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

**Chapter 3: _The Attic's Rafters_**

Draco Granger strode down the stairs, wiping his eyes quickly to keep from crying in his rage. What gave Hermione Granger of all people the right to be such a selfish witch! He placed his hand on the banister and swung his way down the last few steps. Draco then walked into the kitchen and plopped down at the dinning room table.

Mrs. Granger looked at her son with sympathy. "Honey, is everything alright? You look as though something's upsetting you." Mr. Granger just nodded in agreement, though he made as little of a show about it as possible.

"Nothing much mum. Just a bit of sibling rivalry." Draco spurt before shoving a mouthfull of buttered toast into his mouth.

"Well, I hope you can get over it long enough to tell your sister that her breakfast is getting cold," replied Mr. Granger. Draco just met his eyes with disdain. "I think your mother would appreciate it." Draco just eyed him once more.

"Draco Granger. Stop sitting here like a spoiled brat and go upstairs to get your sister!" Mrs. Granger's words shocked Draco. Was this really what Hermione had to live with? Yes, they were definately concerned for the wellbeing of their children, but they also ran a tight ship.

"Yes Mam," Draco blathered akwardly before stanpeeding upstairs.

-----

Hermione sat on her bed staring at her most prized possesion, the one thing Draco couldn't change through a hex or a spell. In her hands Hermione clapped her acceptance letter into Hogwarts. She searched it over to see if Draco's spell had changed a single drop of emerald of ink. Inwardly she hoped that it had. There was always something that bothered her about the letter that she wished would disapear.

As she stroked the front, nothing had changed. The name on the front still read what it always did.

"Hermione McKlain."

Everything else about the letter was perfect, except that name. Mainly because it didn't belong to her, but secondly because it worried her parents so much. She could still remeber the look of horror on their faces, as if remembering a grave nightmare. A nightmare which they would never share with her. Hermione could feel that the answer to why that name was on her letter, was the answer to unlocking the only secret the Granger's had been able to keep from her.

A rhythmic tapping noise stirred Hermione from her thoughts. The door to her room began to slide open, reveiling that her brother stood on the other side.

"Hey, Mudblood, your food's getting cold." Draco sneered before begining to leave the room.

"Um, Draco, Is that a technical term?"

Draco turned around and came over to her.

"Is what a technical term?" Draco groaned at the question.

"Cold." Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, it's a technical term. Now why did you really want me to come back in here?"

Hermione smiled faintly. "Nothing gets past you does it?"

"Granger, if I wanted to beat around the bush, I would've asked to play monkey and the weasel." Draco sneered.

"I'm amazed. So you can teach an old snake new tricks. Well. I was wondering if this name means anything to you." Hermione handed over the letter to him. Draco quickly analyzed it and handed it back.

"Not a thing." Draco shrugged his shoulder and began to walk downstairs. "Sorry sis."

Hermione tapped the letter on her hand. There had to be more than just the dead end Draco had offered her. Surely he knew where the name McKlain came from. It wasn't as if he wasn't an expert on the subject of famous wizards. He had to know. And that bull about being sorry was nothing more than a lame cover.

"You lying jerk. You just wait Draco. I'll figure out how to make you tell me. Someway or another."

Hermione got an idea about how to make him change his mind. The only problem was, she needed access to certain potions. She'd have to go to Hogsmeade.

So being that nothing could be done at the moment, she trudged down the stairs to eat breakfast.

-----

Draco was sitting in Mr. Granger's reading chair, scanning over a muggle newspaper. Hermione walked over to him and placed "Minnistry Weekly" into his hands. She stood over his shoulder to see what he was doing.

"Thank you for the magizine, Sis. But do you mind telling me what you're doing staring over my shoulder?"

Hermione smiled at his gratitude and civility.

"I was waiting for you to thank me," she said in between sips of orange juice. "See ya later."

"Oh, Hermione, I thought you might be happy to hear I have my own room now."

Hermione couldn't help but grin.

"Oh really."

"Oh yes. After our fight this morning, they decided teenagers need their 'own space.' I stole the attic." Hermione's face paled.

"You what?"

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "I stole the attic. It's my room." Draco repeated in annoyance.

"I heard what you said Draco. But how could you steal the attic! That's been my fortress of silence and peace. That's more personal than stealing my room!"

Draco just groaned.

"Get used to it. You can't be an only child forever. Besides, it they would never give me your room, it's too. . ."

"Pink. I know." Hermione stated flatly. "Disgusting isn't it?"

"Very."

Draco went back to reading an article about how to grow hair on a toad and the benifits to doing so. "First take a hair from a wombat. . ." The article lost Draco after that. "What a cook. It makes you wonder who figures this stuff out."

Draco waited impatiently for Hermione to respond, or ask him what the hell he was talking about, or just to call him a jerk for stealing the attic. But there was only silence. Draco looked up and around the room. Hermione had already left, and he was now alone. He didn't know what was coming over him lately. He wished himself into her life, and now that she'd wish herself out of it, he felt completely and utterly alone. He quickly rose from his seat and darted off, curious as to what his new room might look like.

When he reached the attic, he began to assend into a narrow passageway leading from the closet to his new room. When he finally opened the trap door, Draco knew istantly why Hermione loved it here. There was a room full of carboard boxes, one bed, and a nightstand with a lamp. Draco looked at the dark blue blanket on the bed. It was a gorgeous plaid, and looked very soft. Draco walked over to the bed and ran his hand across it. A thin layer of dust rose into the air.

Draco plopped onto the bed and allowed a cloud of dust to rise around him. He felt like he was flying. When the dust cleared again Draco looked up at the support beams above him. He stared at it for a long time without blinking, but then his eyes stung and watered up. On the beam, directly above him, was what looked like a photo album.

Draco stood on the bed to get a closer look. Even stretching out his arms he would barely be able to reach it. But he would be able to. With very little effort, Draco knocked the album onto the bed. He sat down onto the bed and began to open it when the trap door began to creak. Someone was coming! Draco quickly threw the album onto the table and prayed no one could see it.

Hermione came up into the room and let the trap door fall shut.

"So, do you like your new room?" Draco smiled.

"Yes. I like it a lot. When I first got in here there was this layer of dust on my bed, so I jumped on it to knock it off." Hermione's eyes widened with shock.

"You aready did that? Darn it! That's my favorite thing to do every vacation!" Hermione shuffled over to the bed and collasped on it in defeat. "Hey Draco. The photo album on the rafters is gone." Draco breathed deep then smoothed over into a cool exterior.

"What album?" He asked ernestly.

"The photo album. It was always to high for me to reach it. I was sorta hoping you could, but I guess my parents moved it."

Draco's feet shuffled slightly at this, but Hermione seemed to not notice.

"So. How the hell did we become so chummy?"

"Since you stopped being an ass."

"I'm always an ass. You make sick for suggesting otherwise, get out."

"I can't believe you! You're such a jerk! For crying out loud Draco! You come here, steal my family, steal my closet, and now you're stealign my sanctuary. Worst of all, you expect me to conform to how you think this should work. Maybe your the one who needs to stop acting like an only child, Mr. I wanted to not be an only child anymore cause I hate my parents and my life sucks so I'm just gonna steal your parents and your life. You have no right to be sick! I do! You really are an ass!" Hermione grabbed at a book lying on the table and hit him with it. She set it down beside him and then slammed the trapdoor as she left.

Draco looked at the book she'd hit him with, it was the photo album from the rafters. In his anger he grabbed the book and chunked it at one of the wood-paneled walled. Then he kicked his bed a couple of times, and settled for reading a book.

-----

Hermione, once safely out of the closet, strode perposefully to her room and slammed the door behind her. She slid into a wooden chair by the computer and flipped a switch. Her desktop was alive in seconds. 'Thank God Mr. Weasely figured out how to run that computer. Okay, Ron, are you here.' Hermione logged into her instant messenger with incredible speed. And sure enough, Ron, Harry, and the Justin Finch-Fletchley were on.

**SPEWforaCAUSE: **Hey guys.

**MyHairzOnPhyre:** hi, mione!

**SPEWforaCAUSE:** Hello to you too Ron

**ScarFace: **sup?

**SPEWforaCAUSE:** Draco Malfoy is getting on my nerves. He's at my house.

**ScarFace: **DRACO MALFOY! we just red that he disapeared! why iz he at ur houz?

**SPEWforaCAUSE:** He put a curse on my family. They think he's their son.

**SPEWforaCAUSE: **I'm actually just glad it's only effecting my parents. I thought for sure it would change something else, like make you go crazy too.

**MyHairzOnPhyre:** is there a way 2 change them back?

**SPEWforaCAUSE:** I hope so. I found him asleep in my room this morning.

**ScarFace:** good hiding place. no1 will look 4 him at ur houz.

**JusFizzling:** thatz just not rite. u shood tell on him. or sompin.

**SPEWforaCAUSE: **Don't I know it. Bye guys. See ya at school.

**ScarFace:** You shood at least do sompin.

**SPEWforaCAUSE:** Don't worry Harry, I already have a plan.

**MyHairzOnPhyre:** can't wait 2 git that snake bac.

**SPEWforaCAUSE:** Me neither Ron.

Hermione got up from the desk and went to her bed. She was anxiously awaiting sleep, but there were a lot of things still playing on her mind.

-----

At five in the morning another instant messege came. All it read was this.

**DeathWillComeSwiftly: **You cannot hide from the mark of McKlain. And not even the snake can help you. No one can.

The writer of the messege pushed back their chair. They had waited so long for their moment to return. But their moment was not to be yet. It was drawing nearer, but it was not yet.


	4. I don't have a home

Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl.

Chapter 4: _I don't have a home_

Hermione Granger was finally getting used to Draco. He had been with them since the beginning of the summer, and already September first was drawing near. It was funny to her the way that Draco complained about "muggly things" but always participated anyway. Hermione secretly knew he loved them, though she'd never let him know.

Throughout the summer they had managed to get along, if only for her parents sake, and Draco found out just how much he enjoyed the boardwalk carnival. Hermione had found an arcade and Draco was an excellent gamer (being that he'd had no previous experience,) though Hermione finally beat him at pong. Then he bought himself a hot cocoa and Hermione threatened to kiss him if he didn't give her some, a joke which Harry and Ron weren't thrilled about. But even they got used to him constantly IMing them for no good reason.

And as the summer passed into Autumn, Hermione's plan of getting him back seemed less important. He had been nice. And they had been friends.

-----

Hermione Granger ran outside to see what Draco was doing. Apparently he had caught wind of something known as a snow angel and couldn't wait for winter to try it out.

"Hey TicTak!" Hermione called. Draco turned around and stuck out his tongue at her. Hermione beamed back.

"Hermione, just because that TicTak commerical gave me nightmares, doesn't mean you get to tease me about it forever. You would have freaked out too if you'd seen it. They were all smiling and dancing. Do you know how wrong it was!" Draco shuddered at the thought.

"Oh, come on. It's such a suitable nickname." Hermione pleaded, to which Draco merely groaned. "Anyway, Mom said you wanted to make a snow angel."

"Yep." Draco picked up the rake he had dropped and began whacking the leaves off the trees. "But, there wasn't any snow. So I decided to improvise."

"I can see that." Hermione grinned at him.

"What's got you so happy? Did fire boy ask you out or something?" Hermione laughed.

"Not exactly. . ." she replied coyly.

"Mm Hm. Right. Gotcha." Draco continued spurting out random words absent mindedly as his pile of leaves grew steadily into a heap.

"Hey Draco?"

"What?" he asked looking over his shoulder at her.

"Mom's gonna kill you." Hermione warned._ 'And so am I.' _

"I know." Draco turned back around and began to rake again.

'Alright Draco, you asked for it. The moment you least expect it, I'm gonna christen this leaf pile with your corpse. One. . .two. . .three. . .' Hermione lunged at Draco's back and tackled him into the leaves. Draco turned over and looked at the girl who was now on his stomach.

"What was that for?" Draco snapped.

"Tradition," Hermione replied knowingly.

"Well how bout this for tradition?" Draco began to tickle Hermione's sides furiously. She squeaked and squirmed, to no avail, he'd successfully turned her attack against her. Hermione finally resorted to rolling off him, so that they were now side by side. Hermione gazed at him breathlessly, and he smirked back.

"You jerk."

"You sneaky little scank."

Hermione slapped him.

"Oww. . ."

They laid there for a long time in the leaves together, just trying to catch their breath.

"Hey, TicTak, when do you think the spell will wear off?" Hermione searched his eyes for the answer.

"I don't know," he admitted back. A twinge of guilt struck him. He'd never told her about the album. He was planning on packing it for Hogwarts, but her parents had been right to hide it, what was in the album, she should never have to see.

"Do you want it to?"

"I don't know. I think I like living here, but I don't know about being your brother. But then again, the spell might reverse itself. The summer might begin again. Until we know what it is, I'd say not." Hermione groaned.

"Gosh, you're being so logical. Sometimes you just have to go on instincts." Draco gave her a look of surprise.

"Since when did you decide that?" he questioned.

"Just now." Hermione sighed. "But you have to admit I'm right. You can't_ always _go with your head."

Draco thought about it. He had always gone with his head. Even when his heart told him to help Hermione and the light side. But then he thought about the one time he followed his heart. _'It landed me here. That day I made a rash decision without thinking.'_ It seemed to him that every time his heart felt strongly about anything, it always lead to one place alone. _'Hermione Granger.' _Draco jumped up from the leaves and quickly ran inside.

'What was that about?' Hermione pondered lightly. _'Was it something I said?' _

-----

Hermione pondered lightly. 

BlackAdder: Hey gyz. ne1 on?

ScarFace: hey snake.

BlackAdder: Hi harry.

ScarFace: so, u gonna b a jerk at skewl?

BlackAdder: probly not. my old friendz wil b pissed.

ScarFace: i c. u gonna hang around w/ us?

BlackAdder: who else is there?

ScarFace: i git ur point. just its weird 2 think about.

BlackAdder: i no. i used 2 hate u gyz.

ScarFace: it wuz mutual.

BlackAdder: wheres ron?

MyHairzOnPhyre: rite her.

BlackAdder: hey ronsold.

MyHairzOnPhyre: wher that com from?

BlackAdder: no idea.

ScarFace: it wuz weird.

BlackAdder: never doin that again.

MyHairzOnPhyre: gd.

ScarFace: g2g. gd talkin 2 u Dc.

BlackAdder: dido.

MyHairzOnPhyre: g2g 2.

BlackAdder: u 2 suc!

Hermione opened the door to her room to see Draco on the computer.

"Don't tell me you ran off just to talk to Harry," Hermione muttered.

"And Ron."

"And Ron. . ." she muttered more.

"Yes I did," Draco lied effortlessly. "For once you were off, I had to take the golden opportunity."

"Right," Hermione stated in mock belief.

"Right, you got it," Draco mocked.

-----

One Week Later

-----

Mrs. Granger ran her two children up to the station, kissed them both on the cheek, and headed off.

Draco and Hermione stood in the middle of the crowded station, looking for any sign of Harry, Ron, or Ginny. Draco tapped Hermione on the shoulder ad pointed behind her. With speed she spun around to see both Harry and Ron running towards her.

"Yo!" Ron screamed, just before tackling her in a bear hug.

"Hi Ron," Hermione muttered under his clench. "You're choking me."

"Oops, sorry." Ron let go of her and greeted Draco.

"Hi Mione," said Harry, offering her a friendly hug.

"Hi," she said, taking him up on the offer. Draco just turned and laughed.

"You keep your meat hooks off my sister!" he yelled pointedly at Harry. Hermione just looked at him and smiled. _'What a smile.'_ Draco tried hard not to think.

"Come on, lets go." With that they all followed Hermione onto the train. While normally the train was completely packed, they all had made (under Hermione's strict orders) to arrive early, so finding a compartment went much smoother than in years past. Soon they were joined by Ginny and some Ravenclaw that no one recognized. Hermione shut the door and sat back down.

"So," Hermione began, "did anyone else notice that no one recognized Draco?"

Harry turned to her and thought. "Yeah, I think it was the clothes. If it weren't for you, and several updated pictures of you two on vacation, I wouldn't have recognized him either."

"Really?" asked Hermione, "but he's so hard to miss! It's like not recognizing a Weasley!"

"Not really," commented Ginny, "He's a totally different person, you can tell by the way he walks. I agree with Harry." The girl sitting beside Ginny just paled.

"Wait. I remember you now," she burst. "You're that kid who ran away."

"Keep it down will you," Draco hissed. "That news isn't supposed to be public. Besides, I really didn't have a choice."

"Really?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, my Dad was planning on turning me into a Deatheater over the summer."

"Woah, not cool," he gaped. Everyone else agreed.

-----

Later that day, Hermione stepped out of a familiar shop in Hogsmeade, a vile of potion in her hand. _'Draco, you're going to tell me the truth, once and for all.' _Hermione glanced down at the potion. _'I hope a truth serum was worth missing dinner over.' _Hermione walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.

"Chrystal Lilies," someone said behind her. Hermione turned around, it was Draco.

"They gave you the password to our common room?"

"Yes, not like it matters. You're head girl, remember? You also missed your little chat with Dumbledor." Draco looked at her with annoyance.

"Sorry. Wait? Aren't you Head boy?" Draco smiled knowingly.

"Yes, but I had to claim my position from the runner up. Since I was missing." Hermione thought it made sense.

"Who was it?" Hermione probed.

"The only person Dumbledor could get on that short of notice, or trust. It was Harry." Hermione smirked. It would be Harry. "Anyway, Harry didn't really want to be Head boy, so he let me have it." Hermione completely understood. It made perfect sense. Harry one who liked to hoard responsibility, but if it was given to him, he was the first to rise to the occasion.

"Well, thank you for letting me in Draco, you gonna come?" Draco didn't say anything but when Hermione walked through the portrait hole, he followedclosely behind.

"Hey gang!" Hermione shouted at the room!Everyone's eyes turned to the Head boy and girl."I wonder if you spilled something on your shirt Draco," Hermione whispered. "They're allstaring at us."

"They're all staring at me. They've been doing that since the Slytherins blurted out who I was halfway through the banquet." Hermione nodded in understanding.

The two teens walked further into the room,everyone's eyes one them.

"What's the big deal!" Hermione finally shouted infrustration.

"You brought the king of the snakes to our common room," Lavender sneered. "How could you Hermione? Really, it's Malfoy."Everyone began to whisper amongst themselves. Draco could swear he had heard someone call Hermione a treacherous little whore. He could swear that they would pay.

Harry stepped out of the crowd. "Guys, SHUT UP!"Suddenly the mob fellsilent. "I invited him here.And before you starttalking again, I'd like to tell you why. Over the summer, Draco ran away fromhome. His father had planned to make him a Deatheater. He ran away to be on the light side. Hermione Ron and I have been keeping in touch with him ever since. Like it or not he's here to help. I swear." Harry fell into the silence that had so swiftly gripped the room.

"Once a snake, always a snake!" accused the original agent ofchaos.The room immediately broke out into uproar. People were comingat Dracoviciously, something had to be done. Hermione, Ron, and Harry began topull him up to the stairs, with Neville, Ginny,Dean, and Seamus, working as crowd control.Finally they made their way to the seventh year boys dorm, and locked the door behind them.

Draco fell onto one of the beds. "I don't think I have a home anywhere anymore," he sighed desperately. "Not even amongst the noble."

Ron smiled thoughtfully. "May thebad be good, and the good be nice." Draco laughed.

"Where on earth did you hear that?"

"Somemugglegirl said it. She was really young too."

"Wise beyond her years," Ginny remarked.

"Quite," replied Draco.


	5. I wish I didn't know the truth

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

**Thanx to my two reviewers. Jibs, as always, faithfully reviewed, which reminds me that I must finish reading her stories. And to SleepyHead22. Wow. Someone else is actually reading this. Thanx for your support. I really need it. **

**Now, on with what you really want. The next chapter. **

**Chapter 5: _I wish I didn't know the truth_**

Hermione stirred restlessly from her slumber. Opening her eyes, she gazed about the seventh year boys dorm. Hermione sat up to see Harry lying next to her. _'That's right,'_ she thought, as she slowly remembered what had happened the night before, _'Harry let us stay here last night.' _Hermione jumped up and looked at the clock.

"What time _is_ it?" Hermione asked.

"7:45 am" it said back. _'Woah, was I just conversing with a clock? It must be too early. I'm obviously not awake yet.' _

"Hey Hermione," Draco said from Ron's bed, "what on God's green earth would possess you to be up this early?"

Hermione smiled at him. _'I hate it when she does that,' _Draco's concious murmered._ 'No you don't. You love every minute and you know it,' _his subconcious stated back firmly.

"You're probably right," Draco said aloud.

"Um, Draco, I didn't say anything." Draco's eyes widened, _'oops', _he was speaking to himself. He decided that he really needed to stop doing it. He'd done it at least nine times since arriving at school, and countless times at the supermarket with Mrs. Granger. Draco also decided that Hermione was driving him mad. _'But that might be a good thing,' _he admitted.

"I don't know. I'm really tired. Can I go back to bed?"

"No. We have to talk to Proffessor Dumbledore and tell him what happened."

"Why?" Draco questioned groggily.

"Because, for one thing we can have you going around getting harassed, and for another, we never got the password for our dorms." Hermione's tone was matter-of-fact, and Draco really couldn't argue against someone that insistant that early in the morning, so he agreed.

-----

After their discussion with Albus, in which Hermione made sure every detail sounded more problematic than it really was (and after she eniphasized what could've happened if it grew to both the Gryffindors _and_ Slytherins,) Hermione and Draco went to sleep again. Hermione woke up for a second time that morning, this time in her own warm bed completely alone, except for Dobby, who after the incident was related to him came to stand gaurd of Mer. Hermione tried to explain that they were attacking Draco, but Dobby got very pushy so finally she told him he could stay.

Hermione got out of her bed, looked around the room, was too tired to remember what she'd just done, so she looked around the room some more. Finally it sunk in that she'd seen the entiredy of the room six times in a row, so she decided to complete her plan. Hermione headed off to the bathroom and looked herself in the mirror. (And no, that was not a detail included in her plan.) She brushed her teeth, got dressed and came out into the common room.

Hermione noticed a half drunken glass of butter beer lying on the table in front of the fireplace. Immediatly she knew what to do. One thing she'd learned about Draco over the summer is that he always started drinking, leave his glass unattended for hours at a time, then would come back to finish them. Either that or he would just drink anyone else's unattended drinks, which annoyed the rest of the family to no end. But finally his habit could be used to her advantage.

Hermione walked over to the butterbeer and slipped seven drops of the serum into it. Then she sat on one of the couches and waited.

Draco came out of his room eight minutes later. He plopped onto one of the multiple colored couches and searched the room for something to drink. 'Bingo,' popped his mind just after sighting the butterbeer. Draco reached over, and to Hermione's delight, he drank it all.

"Hey, Draco," Hermione began coyly.

"Yes?" Draco asked.

"Do you remember when you first came to my house?"

"Yes," Draco repeated.

"And I showed you my letter of acceptance into Hogwarts? Well actually you more of stole it from me but-"

"Stop beating around the bush and ask your question. If I had wanted you to beat around the bush I would've suggested playing monkey and the weasel." Draco snapped in annoyance. Hermione was actually very shocked by this. He hadn't been this cross with her since she beat him at pong.

"Alright. Who's McKlain?" Hermione questioned.

"It's not who is McKlain. But who are the McKlains. They're the most prominent wizarding family in Scottland," Draco blurted out frankly.

Hermione gasped in realization. "So that's why they never showed up on any of the books of history in England. They're Scottish!"

"Are you saying you're so involved in history because you wanted to find the McKlains?"

"More or less. I'm really shocked that my Anchient runes course didn't mention it though. Hey Draco, why do you suppose that name is on my letter?" Draco just blushed.

"I can't tell you that," he eplained honestly.

"Draco, tell me why. I know you know."

"Because you're a McKlain, Hermione. You're not a mudblood. You're a pureblood, in fact your bloodline is even purer than my own." Hermione sat in shock, trying to absorb this information.

"Is that why you've been so nice to me? Because I'm no longer a mudblood?" Hermione's eyes overflowed and tears streamed down her face. Draco felt his heart pumping hard.

"NO!" He blurted out desperately.

"Then why?" Draco realized this was it. She'd drugged him, and now he'd have to tell her the truth.

"Because I love you." Hermione fell silent. The tears stopped streaming down her face, and all she could do was shake. "I'm sorry I lied, but if you know everything, it'll only hurt you. I lied because I didn't want to see you like this. Please don't make me tell you the truth, you don't want to hear it. You can hate me all you want, but please, don't make me tell your parents secret." Hermione shook, completely stunned. All this time, and he loved her. All this time pretending to be siblings and never really being. All this time, was a lie. It finally made sense, it finally snapped into her mind, and for the first time connected.

_'I have different parents.' _

"TicTak? Do you know who my parents are?" Draco just shook his head from side to side.

"Only that you are their only heir."

It took a moment for this to sink in as well. _'I'm rich,' _she thought to herself silently.

Hermione's mind began to drift. 'He loves me,' was the one thing that kept repeating, over and over in her mind.

"Was it true?" Hermione searched in his eyes for the answer. It was true.

"Was what true?"

"When you said you loved me." Draco grabbed the back of Hermione's neck and the next thing she knew was the feel of his lips against hers. The two sat for a long time, unmoving, wondering what was going on. Hermione finally decided what had happened and began to kiss Draco back.

While the two were in the lip lock, Draco began to stroke Hermione's jaw with his thumb. She could feel herself melting under his grasp, waiting for anything he brought next. Draco began to snake his tongue into her mouth when she bit down with all her might. Draco groaned in pain as Hermione shoved him off the couch. She looked up at him with eyes containing only one emotion, complete terror. Draco wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and glanced up at Hermione, wondering what had gone wrong. She had curled up completely on the couch, her legs propped up before her, guarding her. The tears began to stream down her face.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Draco interogated.

"Tell me what happened to me when I was four Draco!" Hermione screamed.

_'How did she know about that?' _Draco rose from the floor and ran up the stairs to his dorm room.

"Oh my God, what have I done?" Hermione cried in shock. Draco returned down again holding the photoalbum. Solomnly, he handed it over to her. Hermione opened the front page and looked at all the pictures, one in particular caught her eye. It was of a man wearing a name tag which read: "Sean McKlain." In the picture he was writing something to her through a white board hanging on the wall.

I. . . am. . . coming. . .for. . .you. . .Hermione. . .

Hermione quickly shut the book and threw it to the floor. Fear suddenly overtook her and she felt like someone had replaced all her blood with ice. Hermione stood up and walked over to Draco, who was again on the floor. Hermione sat down beside him and collasped into his arms, petrified with fear.

"I don't want to know Draco. . .I don't want to know. . ." Hermione then began muttering incoherently about how there was no reason for her to be afraid, and how she found herself needing and being afraid of Draco. But the one thing that made perfect sense to Draco was the one last phrase she uttered before passing out.

Draco looked at Hermione as she slept in his arms. He didn't know what to do but hold her.

_Lay down  
Your sweet & weary head  
Night is falling  
You have come to journey's end_

_Sleep now  
Dream-of the ones who came before  
They are calling  
From across a distant shore  
Why do you weep?  
What are these tears upon your face?  
Soon you will see  
All of your fears will pass away  
Safe in my arms  
You're only sleeping  
What can you see  
On the horizon?  
Why do the white gulls call?  
Across the sea  
A pale moon rises  
The ships have come  
To carry you home  
_

"But I won't let them carry you home Hermione. Your home is here with me. It is here where your heart lies. Don't worry Hermione, I won't let them take you away."

**A/N: the song was "into the west" most of you would recognize it as the ending theme in the 3rd LOTR movie. It's by Annie Lennox. Please Review. **


	6. Try not to scream

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

**W00T! I have never been this happy to see five reviews in my entire life! I love you guys. I would kill for you guys! (well maybe not.) Anyways THANK YOU!**

**Queen of Duct Tape- Woah, you have a lot of questions. **

**#1 The last thing Hermione said was "Don't let them take me away."**

**#2 "It's not who is McKlain. But who are the McKlains. They're the most prominent wizarding family in Scottland," Draco blurted out frankly. Two questions down. **

**#3 "Draco wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth" so yes, poor Draco is slightly mamed. And the other two will be reveiled at some point in this chapter. (hopefully.) **

**Chapter 6: _Try not to scream_**

Hermione's eyes drifted open. She looked slowly around her for the third time that morning. Her eyes looked around the dark room. Darkness filled the air like a suffocating blanket. Hermione felt a tinge of emptiness inside of her. She realized that part of her life was gone. Suddenly she felt incomplete. She'd lost something, something important. But what was it? Was it a memory? Or a chance lost? Hermione couldn't decide, but the more she thought about it, the more it felt like someone had slipped poison into the air. The more she tried to remember, the more she died inside. Hermione didn't lose any determination though. She pushed onward, through the barrier in her mind. But finally, in the end, her strength drained from her, and she collapsed onto the floor.

Hermione ran her hands along it's surface. What was it? Hermione thought it felt like water! Even though it must've only been and eighth of an inch high. 'That was it!' Hermione thought. 'What part of the school has water all along the floor?" Hermione began to think, but nothing came immediately to mind. Hermione stood up, but her leg was stuck to something leading towards the water's edge. Hermione traced it with her hand, but nothing was there, just more water.

"They must be doing it with magic."

-----

Draco ran frantically from the head dormitories and towards Gryffindor tower. He could feel rocks forming in his stomach. The whole school had just gotten off from lunch and Draco was worried there would be another mob.

_'Don't be silly. They've got better things to do on a Saturday than bother a treacherous snake like you.' _one side of Draco reasoned with the other.

_'My, don't we have the highest level of self esteem,' _his other side shot back.

"I haven't got time for this!" Draco finally screamed in annoyance.

Draco could feel his blood rushing through his veins. He reached up a hand and felt the back of his neck, it was still bleeding from whoever had hit him. He didn't know what to say to Harry or Ron. _'Erm, sorry, but I let your best friend get kidnapped and all I got was a surface wound. Sorry guys.'_

Draco tried to push this response from his mind. Finally he made it to the entrance. "Chrystal Lilies!" he snapped at the fat lady.

Once inside, Draco realized he'd been right to worry. Since lunch had just let out, everyone was in the common room deciding what they wanted to do for the remainder of the day. Draco groaned as the mob began to form, trying to push him out. Harry and Ron were just coming down the stairs when they noticed that the whole room was gathered at the entrance.

"Either there's something dreadfully interesting about the fat lady today, or Draco's paid us a visit." Ron stated blandly.

"Let's not wait till they kill him to find out," Harry rushed, already halfway down the stairs. Ron decided they might need back up, so he ran back to the dorm to fetch the others, the invisibility cloak, and the marauder's map. By the time he, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and Lee arrived, Ginny and Harry were already with Draco, being pushed out as well. Harry motioned for Ron to follow then Draco and he fled through the portrait hole.

"What's going on?" Ron blurted.

"Hermione's been kidnapped by the McKlains," Harry said grimly. Ron's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Who the hell are the McKlains, and what the hell are they doing with Hermione?" Ron shrieked.

"The McKlains are Hermione's real family. She just found out last night." Draco looked unusually grave in Harry's opinion. He wondered just how close they'd gotten over the summer. But that was just his opinion, and no one was asking it, so Harry kept his thoughts to himself.

"What I wouldn't give to have the marauders map," Harry groaned. "But I left it in my room."

Ron smiled brightly pulling the map from his pocket. He touched the wand to it's surface, solemnly swore just what everyone knew he wasn't up to, and the map came alive. Draco studied the map with bewilderment.

Suddenly Ron gasped and pointed at the map. There was Hermione, in the Chamber of secrets, and steadily approaching her was none other than Sean McKlain.

-----

Hermione heard the distinct sound of splashing water. She held her breath hoping that the splashing would stop, hoping it would just be her and the faint sound of water breaking on the floor again. Hermione could hear the splashing coming closer, but all she could think to do was pray whoever it was hadn't been the one to put her there. But then the splashing stopped. Silence filled the air and Hermione knew that her captor was closer than ever.

Hermione slowly began to feel her body rise into the air. As her feet dangled in the air she tried to scream, but the words wouldn't escape her lips. Tears began to stream down her face and a dim blue light began to fill the room. The chamber reminded her of a subway, it was held up by large arching pillars made of stone. Water covered half the floor, reflecting the light back into the room. But despite the overwhelming chamber, all Hermione's eyes could concentrate on was the broad shouldered man before her. Her father.

"Hello Hermione. Please try not to scream dear, it's just me, your. . ."

"I know who you are." Hermione hissed the words with venom, contempt.

"You know, when I got out of jail, the Grangers actually refused to let me see you. Can you imagine, my own daughter. But here you are! All grown up. You look just like your mother." His voice seemed kind enough, but there was something about him, maybe the fact that he was hold her six inches off the ground, that made her afraid of him.

"My mother's name is Harriet Granger. And I am not your daughter."

"Hermione," he commanded harshly, "why are you resisting me. Why are you refusing your destiny. You cannot escape the mark of McKlain. It is who you are. It is your fate." Sean shook Hermione viciously.

"What do you want with me!" Hermione screamed.

"I want to make you my queen." Sean brought Hermione to his level and began to kiss her neck lightly. More tears streamed down her face. She felt so helpless, so small, compared to this six foot five man. Hermione felt four. She felt pathetic. She felt violated.

In the distance, she heard faint footsteps. Hermione tried her hardest to scream out to them, to tell them she was there, but all that escaped her lips was a faint whimpering cry. With great force, Sean cast her into the water, muttering. Hermione's world went black.

-----

The three teens stared at the solid wall of rubble. Last time Harry was here, they had to escape through the ceiling a top Dumbledore's phoenix. But such resources were not available to him now.

"We're going have to apparate in there," Draco noted.

"I can't," Ron protested.

"Ron, right now is _not_ a good time to be squeamish," Draco snapped.

"DC, I _can't_ apparate. Even if I was old enough, I would've failed the test." Draco's glance shifted to Harry.

"You too?" Harry nodded.

"I've never tried it. I can do it in theory. But I doubt you really want me to get splinched down here." Draco nodded.

"Why must I do everything myself?" he groaned shortly before disappearing.

Draco reappeared on the other side of the chamber. He had purposefully appeared on the furthest side of the room from Harry and Ron. He was hoping that whoever might have heard them would be looking at the entrance. Draco was glad that for once today his hunch was right. The last time he was wrong he ended up in the middle of an angry mob. Draco raised his wand towards Sean, when the man turned around.

"Why hello there. You must be Draco." The man grinned wickedly, making Draco feel like he'd swallowed a frog.

"How the hell did you know my name?"

"Simple. My daughter kept calling for you in her sleep. How sweet. I'm sure however, you won't find it quite as must so when you realize she doesn't remember you." Draco's face contracted into confusion.

"Why?"

"I couldn't have you getting in the way, so I put a curse on her. Any memory containing you has been altered, you no longer exist." Draco felt the anger simmer within him.

"Your a real bastard. Don't think I don't know what you did to Hermione. That's pathetic, just like you. Pathetic and vile." Draco spit to make the effect set in more, besides the fact that the frog hadn't quite left yet.

"You will never understand. I did it because I love her. It's more than you can say for yourself." Draco'd had enough. That bastard was never touching Hermione again.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Sean fell limply to the ground, and for the first time, Draco thanked God he was a Malfoy.

**Sorry guys, but due to a stupid GS thing, I may not update for at least three days. I know, you have to wait THREE WHOLE DAYS, how could you possibly manage right?**


	7. A very hard bargain

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

Woah! I never imagined that my fic would gain so many reviews after having none the first chapter! Special kudos go to Smenzer, thanks for the constructive criticism, Jibs, who has been here since the beginning and was the only reason I didn't just quit, Mokona Deh Bunny, cReAtIvE-tHoUgHtS, and Reyna, who all helped create the storyline from here on out. Thanks, it would've been plot holes without you.

Shout outs also go to all those who reviewed. I needed the support greatly in my time of unpopularity. You have helped picked up the shattered pieces of my ego. (I'm such a Slytherin!)

Chapter 7: _A very hard bargain_

Draco paced back and forth before the door which lead to Dumbledore's office. He was all too aware of how long McGonogal's eyes had followed his form, making sure he wouldn't run away this time. Draco sighed. For once the responsibility for his actions had caught up with him, but it wasn't all bad. He had changed loyalties, though in truth was no nicer to the enemy than he'd ever been before, he had escaped his father's plan for him, which was good because it really pissed him off, and he'd killed one of the slimiest gits known to man. Draco glanced over at McGonogal, contemplating whether it was safe to sit down. He moved towards her spot on a bench, almost sat down, then decided against it and walked off, with her eyes still following him.

Draco scuffed the floor with his foot. Harry and Ron were the ones responsible for his new found dilemma. In their infinite wisdom, they had gone for help. But when help arrived, what had taken place seemed all too clear. Draco had used a very illegal curse, one that could land him in Azkaban, whether it be self defense or no. Draco prayed that something incredibly fortunate would happen to him, allowing him to go free. Draco knew in his gut however, that fate was finally tired of getting him out of trouble, and there was no way out.

Suddenly the door to Dumbledore's office opened, revealing exactly the person Draco had been dreading to see all summer, Lucius Malfoy. Draco had heard something about him being informed as to the particulars of Hermione's kidnapping, which was just dandy in Draco's opinion. He felt rather like a delinquent high schooler, something he was constantly called by Harriet Granger, Hermione's mother. Draco groaned inwardly as Dumbledore motioned him into his office and shut the door behind them.

In the office, was a large ash desk with various papers shrewn about the surface, a large bird cage containing a phoenix, two blue swede armchairs, and one dark blue dragon leather sofa which looked extremely uncomfortable. So when offered a seat by the headmaster, Draco opted for an armchair. His father took a seat on the sofa, mainly because it was across from Draco, who couldn't help but smile at Lucius's face upon sitting down. The headmaster sat down at his desk, making him look very much like a civil suits judge.

"Excuse me," Lucius sneered, "but could we have some privacy?" Draco growled. The question had obviously been phrased to offend, and while not a particular fan of Dumbledore, Draco certainly had nothing against him. Dumbledore nodded and rose to leave. Lucius waited rather impatiently for him to shut the door, then began his speech.

"So the prodigal son returns. I am very disappointed in you." Draco had expected no less, being that he'd run away, but was confused about the uncharacteristic muggle reference. "My own son, the murderer of one of the most trusted Death eaters!" Draco paled. He'd killed a Death eater.

'Well, that certainly explains how he both knew about and broke into the chamber of secrets.'

"But-" Lucius continued, "being that you did defeat a Death eater, my master has taken an even greater interest in you. So here are your options. You either become a Death eater, or I'll leave you to be sent to Azkaban."

Draco was shocked. Never before had his father been this straight forward, he always manipulated you until you didn't know the difference between up or down._ 'He's gone soft,' _Draco couldn't help but note.

"No, Father." Draco stated firmly. Lucius may have lost his touch, but Draco most certainly had not. "You either get me out of this mess, or the Malfoy's only heir will marry a mudblood." Draco made sure to refer to himself as the only heir to the Malfoy family to make sure his father knew damn well that the reputation of the family rested on his decision. Lucius smiled.

"You drive a hard bargain."

"Well, I know that our family's reputation is more important to you than a measly difference in opinions." Draco smirked. He'd won, and he knew it all too well.

"Yes, but you also care about it." Lucius smirked back. "You're bluffing."

Draco groaned. His father was such a pain in the ass sometimes, well actually all the time really. Draco didn't allow his composure to slip. One thing he'd learned, act iinvincible and people will be ggullibleenough to believe you.

"I highly doubt you'll be boosting how much I care about this family when I run it into the ground. So what'll it be?" Draco saw his father's face pale.

"I'll see what I can do. Don't worry, I've gotten out of worse." Lucius patted Draco's shoulder in shock and left the room. Draco grinned as soon as he'd left the room. That was easier than he'd thought it would be. For the second time, he was glad to be a Malfoy.

Dumbledore stumbled back into the room, obviously shocked by the state in which Lucius left.

"So," Dumbledore sstuttered "You have your father out matched have you?" Draco wondered in amazement at how fast Dumbledore had guessed. That man really was a genius.

"More or less I believe." Draco spotted a little twinkle appear in the headmaster's eyes.

"Good. I believe someone should've stood up to him long ago. But to have it be his own son was exactly what he needed." Draco could tell Dumbledore was thoroughly enjoying this. "Well, Your dear friends Harry and Ron put in a good word for you. Most of them consisted of iincantand self-defense. Oh yes, and my personal favorite, hero." Draco's mask of superiority broke. It was totally astonishing to him. Harry and Ron hadn't even known him that long, and already, they were risking their own reputations to help him out.

"I never. . ." sstutteredDraco.

"You're their friend. Though I personally think I agree with them, even if your mmethodsare considered questionable by others."

Draco pondered this. He'd never had this long of a conversation with the headmaster before, and now he understood why Harry enjoyed it so much.

"Care for a lemon drop?"

-----

Draco left Dumbledore's office thirty minutes and a pocket full of lemon drops later. He decided it was too late to visit Hermione, though he very much wished to, so instead he went to find his new best friends. Quickly though, he was met by a large group of Slytherins. At their head was Blaise Zambini.

"So here he is, the ddelinquentSlytherin prince. So, how _does_ it feel to save a mudblood?" Draco continued to walk, trying not to get hhimselfin even more trouble. "What? Couldn't Daddy save you?"

Draco couldn't believe he was getting this kind of treatment. After all, he was a Malfoy. And no one spoke to a Malfoy that way, not even his father. Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Blaise's tthroat

"For one thing, Hermione Granger is not a Mudblood. And for another, I am still a Malfoy, and as such I demand you treat me with respect." Blaise put up his hands in defense.

"Sorry boss. You are still the boss right?" Draco's glare tightened on him.

"No. I am not 'the boss' anymore. But unless you want to end up like Sean McKlain, I suggest you leave myself, and the rest of my friends alone."

Blaise smirked. "Don't try to fool yourself, you don't have friends. You're a Malfoy." Draco pretended to turn away but swung back around and punched him in the jaw. He somehow knew he'd get in trouble for that too, but at this point, it really didn't seem to matter much.

Draco stood his ground against them as Crabbe and Goyle moved to pick up their new master. _'What weaklings,'_ Draco scoffed, _'having to depend on someone else to think for them. And Blaise, what a git. If he only knew how strong it feels to be completely iindependent I don't need them anymore, and they can't even understand why. How pathetic.' _The Slytherins finally cleared away from Malfoy and continued their way down the corridor. Only then did Draco begin to search once more for Harry and Ron.

I can't stand to fly  
I'm not that naive  
I'm just out to find  
The better part of me

I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane  
More than some pretty face beside a train  
And It's not easy, to be me

Wish that I could cry  
Fall upon my knees  
Find a way to lie  
About a home I'll never see

It may sound absurd...but don't be naive  
Even heroes have the right to bleed  
I may be disturbed...but won't you concede  
Even heroes have the right to dream  
And It's not easy, to be me

Draco couldn't understand completely what it was he was feeling. It was like he was free, but at the same time no one understood why that was so important. He just wanted to find the best of himself, but the old things kept popping in on him at the strangest times. He knew for sure that he wasn't going crazy, but if someone told him that he was, he might've actually believed them. He knew that he had every right to be upset, but he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he was no longer invincible. He was no longer a gang leader, no longer a symbol, he was human. He was human, but at the same time, he was still a Slytherin.

Draco stared down the rest of the Corridor. Suddenly he caught sight of a flashes of black and bright red. In seconds Harry and Ron had met him and were interrogating him on how exactly he'd escaped going to Azkaban.

"How the hell did you pull this one off Draco?" Harry prodded.

"Whatever it was, it must've been bloody brilliant!" Ron burst.

"It wasn't bloody brilliant. I just used my father's love for the family rreputationagainst him. I told him if he didn't pull some strings, I would marry a mudblood. Of course he didn't really think about how I'd be incapable of marrying from Azkaban, but he was really frazzled. He didn't even say 'hi son, where the hell have you been all summer?' He just wanted to make me a Death eater." Harry and Ron tried to listen to the intelligible ramble that followed, but they had to admit it was rather pointless and reminded them of the ones Hermione was constantly breaking into, so finally they just gave up.


	8. I can't see your face

Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl.

Sorry it took so long. I had to remake Harry Potter Puppet Pals. (No, I didn't make it originally.) My mom had her birthday, and her anniversary. I read the fourth Harry Potter book. Did summer reading. I WAS BUSY! so please. Don't kill me for being slow. All I wanted was to be able to walk into my World History class and not make a Longbottom out of myself on the test over the Crisis of Islam! So yeah, I'm totally over reacting.

Chapter 8: _I can't see your face. _

Draco waited an entire week before Hermione regained consciousness. Madam Pomphrey insisted that there was nothing physically wrong with her and that she should've woken up days ago. Many people had different theories as to why she persisted. Pansy's being that she simply didn't want to be anywhere near the Mudblood-lovers any longer, now that Hermione herself was now a pureblood, to which Harry and Ron had to fight to keep Draco from slapping her. The new Golden Trio, as the Slytherins called it, had a theory that she simply didn't want to wake up for whatever reason and they should accept that as a damn good reason for her to still be sleeping. But most people didn't accept this theory, so different ones were inevitably conceived and then conveniently forgotten before she did wake up.

When Hermione did wake up however, Draco had lost his house about one hundred points for acting up in class, or fighting with other members in front of McGongagall. Relieved that this streak of bad temper might finally pass, all the teachers set out to tell Draco. Harry and Ron were allow to be informed, but they proved more difficult to find, being that they were trying to avoid Draco and his tantrums.

-----

Hermione's eyes landed on the tall boy before her. He wasn't extremely handsome, but looks were not everything. He seemed to have an air of hope about him. Almost a longing feeling, like he was expecting something. Her mind tried to find him in her memories, place his face. But just like searching for what she'd forgotten, she could not. Again and again she futilely tried to place him. But each time she came up empty handed. Her mind finally reasoned that she just simply didn't know him. And while she intended to make their first meeting much easier, her words escaped her without any regard to how he'd react.

"Who the hell are you?" Hermione blurted rudely. Immediately she was struck with remorse. His eyes filled with a deep pain. Inwardly she wondered why. Why would a complete stranger care whether she was nice to him or not? Why should she care that he cared? If he expected something major from her, he should realize that she'd just gone through. . . Hermione's eyes filled with tears. She was safe. Someone had rescued her. Her father wasn't here. And she could breathe in the horrible scents of the hospital wing. The boy searched her face for her thoughts. He wondered what he should do. Finally he gave her question some thought, though it needed none, and decided to answer.

"My name is Draco Malfoy." Hermione thought that something sounded extremely snobbish about his name. But at the same time, something very complicated.

"My name's Hermione Granger, sorry for being rude." Hermione stuck out her hand, but Draco's recoiled. Hermione thought that his personality seemed to fit his name very well. He was a very rude an arrogant prat! She was trying to be nice, and all he did was refuse her hand, as if she was lower than him. "Um, excuse me, but I'm trying to be nice." Hermione hissed.

"I know who you are. I'm just disappointed. Ignore it." Hermione clicked her teeth in annoyance. "I thought-I hoped-you'd remember me." Draco didn't wait for her response. He stood up and walked briskly from the room. Hermione shuddered as the door slammed behind him, it's sonance echoing in the morning air.

Draco met Harry and Ron as he was coming out. He pushed past them and walked on without so much as a word. Ron rubbed the shoulder that Draco had hit.

"I take it his talk with Hermione didn't go well." Ron stated dryly. Harry gazed at the gape Draco had made between them.

"Apparently so." Harry looked over at Ron. "I hope we do better. What d'you say? Up for seeing Hermione and cheering her up?" Ron grinned broadly.

"Let's go."

Ron and Harry laid their hands onto the double oak doors and pressed their weight against them. The wood gave a large crack and the teens could feel the hinges turning under their weight. They were incredibly apprehensive about seeing Hermione in a bad mood. Instead, when the doors creaked open (which took about two seconds) they were met with a familiar sparkle.

"RON! HARRY!" Hermione shouted from her bed. The two appeared very awkward in the middle of the stark surroundings. Ron gave his usual lop-sided grin. Harry just beamed that she was finally awake.

"Quite a nap you had there Herms." Hermione looked shocked.

"Really Ron? How long was it?"

"About a week," Harry muttered, trying not to raise any alarm from her.

"A WHOLE WEEK!" Hermione shrieked! "What did I miss?"

"Well, Draco's been rampaging all across the school defending your honor from Pansy. In the process though, he made everyone really tense." Hermione's gaze fell.

"He says that I should know him, but I don't remember him at all. Ron, Harry, who's Draco?" Harry began to fidget with his inner pocket. Ron's mouth opened and closed, searching for a reasonable answer to such a preposterous question.

"Hermione," began Harry, who had not yet returned to his senses, "is that why he stormed out of here?" Hermione flashed him a look of guilt and responsibility.

"I think so."

"Don't worry. You'll think of something. I know you will." Ron encouraged. He knew that his advice in this case would be of little use. He wasn't good at coming up with solutions to difficult problems. He'd leave that to Harry and Hermione.

-----

Draco kicked a suit of armor as he strode down the corridor. He decided not to go to his empty common room. He choose not to go to the Gryffindor common room, not like that was much of a choice, those goody-two-shoes had caused more problems than he felt like dealing with right now. Draco steamed with anger. He hadn't been this angry at Hermione since his second day at the Grangers. Draco double backed and kicked the armor again. He could almost hear the armor grunt at him, but in his rage he guessed that he was just being weird. Draco's foot struck the suit of armor a third time. This however, caused it's head to pop off and roll down the hall. Draco bent over to pick it up, but was kicked in the rear.

"HAHA! How do you like being kicked!" Peeves's high chortle screamed. Draco picked up the head and launched it at him, which only made him laugh more.

"Go away or I'll call the Barren!" With that Peeves shuttered and disappeared. Draco smiled to himself on his success. It seemed less important though, since no one would share it with him.

Draco decided to go down to the lake. It was the best place to cool ones mind. He headed back the way he'd come, and to the nearest exit.

-----

Two days passed before Hermione was released from the Hospital wing, and not once had Draco been up to visit her. He even avoided Harry and Ron during class, pouring endless hours into library research. Ron wondered what was wrong with him. He'd even begun to hang around the Slytherins again. It all seemed very odd to him. But he never could come up with any good explanation.

Hermione decided she'd better try to reverse whatever she'd done to him. She had no idea what to do though, no one would even tell her who he was. Only that they used to be really close. Harry admitted to her however, that they hadn't always been friends, and precisely how close they were was quite a mystery. That's when Hermione decided she'd better find out who he was from the only person who knew, Draco.

Draco sat uncomfortably on one of the wooden chairs in the library. His legs were crossed and prompted on the table. 'The secret to unlocking secrets' was laying precariously across his knees, and over all, he held himself in a drooped sort of weariness. Hermione spotted him like that and felt more strongly than ever, that something had to be done.

"Draco?" Hermione asked from behind him. She could see him jump at the sound of her voice. He jerked around and sat up straight. Hermione took the seat across from him, though he didn't offer it to her.

"Yeah?" Draco sneered.

"I don't know what to say. I can't remember a single thing about you. I know I should, but it's like something keeps preventing me. I just wanted to say thank you. For saving my life, that is." Draco seemed taken aback by this. "Harry told me. You don't have to sit with the Slytherins you know. I want to learn more about you, since I can't remember. We could be friends again."

"We weren't friends." Draco's jaw clenched. "And we can never be friends."

"Can't you even try?" Hermione's voice was desperate. Something about him made her want to know what was going on.

"No." Draco firmly stated.

"You're being a PRAT!"

"Just know this, we can _never_ be friends."

"And just why not!" Hermione snapped.

"Because I still love you, and it still pisses me off." Draco slammed his book shut and stood up. He pushed past her and left her there in confusion.

Hermione turned to watch him leave. She understood for the first time why he was so cruel. _'The worst way to miss someone, is to be standing right beside them, knowing they're not yours.' _Tears filled Hermione's eyes. She didn't know why that'd happened. She couldn't explain it. Why had he been so upset? She'd tried her best to make it up to him. Then the realization of why fell upon her.

"I'm sorry I don't love you, Draco."


	9. Clip of original and Author's note

**Sorry for the wait on the last chapter. Here's some good old fashioned reader participation. All you have to do is tell me in your review whether Hermione should end up with Draco or Ron. Answer honestly. I have it set up so I could do either. Personally I think she'd work better with Ron. But this story was set up more of a D/H fic. PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Thanks. **

**Oh, and just so I don't get in trouble. Here's a tiny peice of story. It has nothing to do with the normal storyline. I just thought you might enjoy it. It's a clip from the original draft of the story. Chapter 5 to be exact. the original went REALLY. . .REALLY. .. SLOW. . . **

Hermione got up from her bed and began to knock on the bathroom door.

"Draco, you okay? You've been in there for fifty-one minutes." Draco blushed. Had he really? He didn't even take a shower. Draco felt his hair expecting it to be almost dry, but it was sopping.

_'I suppose that's what you get for lying on the floor for an hour.' _Draco turned off the water and barged into Hermione's bedroom. He crossed his arms.

"Thanks for being worried." His sarcastic tone made her glare at him.

"Well I guess there's nothing wrong, you're still a jerk." She smirked. She had done it, she nailed him. Granted the insult wasn't very good but she had at least insulted him to his face, without Harry and Ron's suport.

"Is it just me or am I rubbing off on you." Draco smirked back.

"It's just you. Now get out of my room before you get water everywhere."

"Is that the only reason you want me to leave, I thought I was a jerk."

"Of course it's not the only reason. Ugh, are you suggesting I like you!" Hermione hurled a pillow at his head and he doudged.

"Hermione, if I thought you liked me I would't be in your room."

"You freak, I didn't mean it like that. I would DIE before I like you like that."

"Well prepare to die then." Draco strode out of the room before she could impale his head on something sharp, like her night stand.

**Oh, and don't forget to answer the question at the top.**


	10. Arrival of Errol, the oldest owl

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

**Thank you Queen of Duct Tape for calling me all-knowing and brilliant. (Though I'm not sure the ego boost is good for me.) Technically however, I am an artist by profession. (only because one of my friends bought a sketch from me for a quarter. Thank you Carli) **

**Chapter 9: _Arrival of Earl, the oldest owl_**

Draco could feel the heat of angry tears run down his face. Why did she always make him cry? No one else ever could, not even his father. Draco glanced around in search for some kickable armor.

"Damn it" he breathed. There was none anywhere in sight. Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at a stone in the wall. Lowering it, he realized that there was no curse he wanted preform on it that was even remotely legal, and he wasn't going to risk getting in trouble again. Not that using the killing curse on a rock would get him time in Azkaban.

Draco knew he was being a prat, but for some reason he couldn't help it. He had risked everything to save her. He had destroyed all the bonds of loyalty he had before. He'd given up everything. He nearly got sent to Azkaban. And now she couldn't even remember why. She couldn't even comprehend the reasons behind him saving her. She just knew he had. Draco tossed the idea of returning to the Slytherins up in the air. He didn't have to stay to endure this shame or misery, he could go back.

"But to go back means to go back as a traitor. I'll have no more power or honor there than Crabbe. And even he would have more. No. I am not going back." Draco headed for his shared dormitory with Hermione. Part of him felt like trashing the whole place, but yet another wanted to feel close to what he'd lost. As long as he could be there, standing in the place where he told her everything, he felt it might be alright. He felt that maybe she'd remember him.

-----

Hermione stumbled down the hall wearily. Thoughts circled her mind, crowded it with things she wished she could merely forget. The mess with Draco, feeling guilty about not remembering someone who loved her. What her father had done right before she fell unconscious. She knew she'd forever be indebted to Draco. He was, after all, the only reason she was awake at this moment. He was the only reason she'd escaped the fate her father had planned for her. But her father had been right. She couldn't escape the mark of McKlain. She was scared by McKlain, by his kiss. The mark was part of her. It was part of her being. His filth was part of her skin. His blood was part of her own. No one could save her from that. No one could change who she was. Not even Draco.

Hermione tried to lift her head, but it dangled from her neck helplessly, swaying back and forth as she wondered down the hall to nowhere in particular. Her shoulders felt weighted down, tethered to the floor by every thought in her head. Her feet refused to move any great length, and her eyes began to droop. Any passerby might have assumed she'd been drugged, or hadn't any sleep the night before. It seemed the light had gone from her eyes, and she was not more than an empty husk. A shadow of Hermione Granger. For she was not indeed a Granger, but a McKlain, and she loathed every minute of that knowledge.

But why had it occurred to her now? She'd known for two days. She'd sat alone in the hospital wing with the memories of her father for long hours alone, and yet, it only now began to bother her, to make her feel ill.

Hermione picked a destination in her mind and ran. Her legs pumped beneath her, carrying her to the one place she could get clean. Hermione could feel the sweat begin to drip down her side. The filth of McKlain pouring out onto her skin. She began to scratch at her arms, ripping, tearing, at the sleeves of her robes. Hermione fell to the ground and pulled at her hair. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she cried out in rage.

Hermione backed into a corner behind a suit of armor. The portraits on the wall all turned to look at her. Some in sympathy, some in irritation. Hermione grasped the helmet off the armor and threatened to chunk it at the next portrait to even glance in her direction. Within minutes, most of the people had cleared from their frames to leave her alone. Hermione shuddered from the next surge of pain.

Someone laid a hand on her shoulder. Hermione jumped under their touch. More tears streamed down her now raw cheeks. Without even looking at who it was, Hermione turned around and clung to the bottom of their robes. The person attempted to stroke her hair, but she merely jerked away from their grasp.

"Don't touch me!" She shouted indignantly, cling tighter to the hem of their robes. Hermione's vision cleared slightly, and she realized that the robes hung and inch off the ground, exposing fairly old dress shoes. Hermione could feel hands rap around each of her shoulders and lift her to a standing position.

"You know Hermione, it's just not fair of you to ask that of me. Being that you won't let go of my robes." Hermione looked down at her hands. Indeed she still had the frayed bottom of robes in her hands, exposing the dress pants the boy was wearing. Hermione gazed up into the eyes of him who held her. They were gray and piercing eyes, but at the same time sympathetic.

"Draco!" Hermione squirmed in shock. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for you to see. . . WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Draco quickly let go of her arms, allowing her to scream at him from a safer distance.

"Nothing you would care about," he suddenly noticed the familiar sneer had returned in his voice. "I just couldn't help but hear your wailing all the way down by our common room."

Hermione glared furiously at him.

"You prat! One minute you confessing your love to me, and the very next you acting like a total ASSHOLE! What is your problem? Gosh, no wonder I don't love you." Hermione stamped her foot impatiently for a reply, but all he gave her was various gapes and long silences. "Oh, so now you have nothing to say? I'm leaving!"

"Where to?"

"Like I would tell you. I don't want you following me."

"I could anyways. Where are you going?"

"I actually have no idea." Draco gave her a solemn smirk. Hermione began to stalk off when Draco grabbed her by the arm. Hermione gave him a look of confusion and cocked her head to the side. Draco bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. Her eyes fluttered shut for the brief moment his lips were on hers. Draco pulled away and began to walk briskly down the hall. Hermione felt a tear roll down her cheek, but quickly realized it was not her own. Rubbing her thumb on her face, she came face to face with Draco's tear.

Hermione touched her lips in shock. They were completely and entirely warm, and more than that, she could feel them quivering, but not in fear. Hermione looked down the hall and realized she'd felt safe for the briefest of moments. Her father couldn't touch her when she was there. The mark of McKlain was no longer a poison. Hermione could feel her heart beating inside her chest. That was what she'd forgotten. She hadn't forgotten Draco. She'd forgotten what it felt like to feel your own eyes light up.

Hermione took no time in running down the hall after him. She knew she'd catch up, after all, he wasn't walking _that_ fast. But when she rounded the corner, Draco had completely disappeared.

-----

Draco ran quickly away from his own shame. That was the third time he'd cried. The only problem was, this time someone had seen him. Draco slowed down and thought about this for a moment. Why did he keep crying? The first two were in anger. But the last felt much different. It felt warmer somehow. But his mind couldn't place a finger on it at all; not that his mind had fingers.

Draco soon gave up and decided to go back to his dorm. It had been an extremely long day and he'd cried twice. (If you count one measly tear crying.) Draco soon reached the entrance to the Heads dorm, which was the portrait of a wiry girl on a swing.

"Pumpkin bush." He muttered. The portrait of the girl flicked her straight black hair behind her. Draco groaned. She was stalling to keep him around and he knew it. Four days before she'd even flat out hit on him. Yes, he was very attractive. No, it wasn't cute to be ppesteredabout it. "PPUMPKINBUSH!" Draco yelled in annoyance at her. She merely stopped the swing and fluttered her eye lashes in his direction.

"Aw," the girl pouted, hair falling to her shoulder blades. "Why are you always so anxious to get in the dorm. Aren't I interesting enough for you?" Draco rolled his eyes at the way her lower lip quivered.

"You're a painting." Draco stated flatly. "Now Maria, could you be a doll and let me inside?" Maria rolled her eyes and opened the portrait hole for him.

"Anything for you Draco," he could hear her tease behind him. OUponentering the ddormitory Draco could see a vast number of very squishy couches in all four house colors scattered around the fire. Something else caught his eye however. On his desk was a very large (and tattered) gray owl. It had a muggle envelope tied to it's leg with wire twisters. Draco nearly laughed.

He walked over to the owl and untied the letter from his foot. Being that his own owl was in the ccustodyof his parents, Draco had no food for the obviously second hand bird. After a while it realized this and flew out the window. Draco opened the letter to find a vile of clear liquid in the bottom of it, and a note from the Grangers.

_Dear Kids,_

_I and your father found this bottle lying in the back seat of our car and thought you might need it. I hope Earl, the bird we bborrowedfrom the Weasleys, got there alright. He seems like such a ffragilething. Hope the bottle comes in handy. _

_Can't stop missing you,_

_Mom. _

Draco looked at the potion in his hand then read the short letter again. A sudden sadness came over him. The Grangers still thought he was their son. Draco took the letter and plopped onto one of the chairs. Popped the top of what he now recognized at the potion he drank at the beginning of summer, causing this mess in the first place, and drank.

-----

Hermione skidded to a stop at the front of the portrait. She looked Maria in the eyes frantically.

"By any chance did Draco come by this way?"

"UUnfortunately Listen, you can have him. That's boy is such a self centered prat!" Maria groaned eemphatically Hermione smiled.

"Thanks. Pumpkin Bush." Maria gave her a look of sympathy and opened the door for her, though she had to admit she'd done Hermione no favors. Hermione walked into the dorm and froze. In Draco's hand was the make a wish potion, or what was left of it anyway. The effect was that your deepest desire at that moment would be fulfilled, unless it involved making someone fall in love or dying. She'd invented the year before.

As she watched him drink it, memories began to flood her mind. Memories of him staring at her, of her slapping him, memories of going to the muggle arcade, and memories of them kissing for the first time. Draco put down the potion and wiped the corner of his mouth.

"What?" He asked innocently.


	11. Boring Explanation of Previous Events

**We have arrived at that time in which my fic has hit falling action and no longer interests me with conflict. Sorry I haven't updated.**

Broken down word of the day: Politics  
Poly: Many  
Tics: Blood-sucking insects.

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

**W00T! You guys helped me break 60 reviews. (Not bad for a fic that started with none eh? I mean, for the first chapters it was just me and my dearest Jibs. My first reviewer, who came in chapter 2) I LOVE YOU JIBS, who has some catching up to do. **

**kudos also go to Danish Pastry 28, cReAtIvE-tHoUgHtS, MoKona Deh Bunny, SleepyHead22, Smenzer, and Queen of Duct Tape! I love you all so very very much. **

**Chapter 10: _Boring Explanation of Previous Events_**

Hermione sat down next to Draco on the green love seat. "I remember your face."

Draco turned towards her with hope in his eyes.

"Draco, I remember you." Hermione repeated, as if he hadn't understood the first time. Draco grinned at her very stupidly. Hermione picked up a book lying near him and whacked him across the head with it. "You BASTARD! God! You were an even worse jerk back then!"

Draco slid off the couch in shock. Was he actually hearing this? She just remembered everything they shared, and she was even more mad at him than before. Hermione smiled down at him. Draco shuttered back. Gingerly she stood up and sat in his lap, rapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Sorry TicTak, I had to get that out of my system."

Draco smirked. "Back to this game are we now?"

Hermione shot a look of suspicion at him. "Don't you even think about tickling me again." Draco looked overly mischievous at that moment. Hermione snorted in displeasure at his response.

"Draco, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did."

Hermione gave a fake smirk.

"What did you wish for?" Draco held her back aways, giving her a questioning look. Hermione rolled her eyes. "When you drank the clear liquid?"

"Which time? The time I wished to be a Granger, or the time I wished you and the Grangers to return to normal?" Hermione groaned at his mock stupidity. Draco just smirked wildly. "Oh, come here you." Draco pulled Hermione into a kiss, but almost immediately she pulled back out. A look of sudden awareness and fear filled her face.

"Draco," she approached with caution, "why was I taken to the Grangers? Why did my dad go to jail?"

"Where did you hear that your dad went to jail?" Draco tried to shove the question off. The last thing she needed was to see that photo album.

"My dad told me. I think you know why Draco, and I'm begging you to tell me." Draco gave a long sigh. Never had he seen her more vulnerable than in the past week and a half. Of course, she'd never known about her past before either. Draco nodded. The game of concealment was up, he could no longer hide the truth from her. Draco got up and went to his room, three minutes later, he returned with the photo album.

"Draco, I've already seen this."

"Just look at the last page, the rest is irrelevant."

Hermione cautiously took the book from his hands and flipped to the last page. Hermione found herself staring at a magazine article that looked like it had been newly clipped out. Hermione glanced at the headline, which seemed to be the proper place to start, and read it aloud.

"Shame to the Name of McKlain." Hermione almost laughed. _'My, aren't we melodramatic.'_

"Sean McKlain was arrested Monday night on the charges of molestation. His five year old daughter, Hermione McKlain, the victim of the crime. . ." Hermione burst into tears as she read this. Hands shaking tremendously she handed over the article for Draco to read.

". . .has been taken into the custody of a Muggle family in accordance with her mother's will."

Draco trailed off there. The rest of the article was completely useless anyways.

"Where did you get that?" Hermione sputtered.

"That copy of _Ministry Weekly _you gave me at the beginning of the summer. They were having a recap on the featured article from exactly eleven years ago. It just so happened to be about you, so I cut it out of the magazine so you wouldn't, you know, find it." Draco looked extremely sheepish at that point. Hermione could never remember him being sheepish, ever.

"So why did you put it in the album?" Hermione continued to interrogate.

"That's where all the other things from your past were. I thought it would be a good place to hide it." Draco stopped himself suddenly. "Wait, why am I letting you interrogate me?"

"Because you love me," Hermione teased.

"Since when?" Hermione burst into hysterics.

"Since you told me twice, and kissed me three times."

"Well maybe I was just using you," Draco said in his defense, though it wasn't particularly convincing. Hermione laughed at him some more and kissed him on the cheek. "But apparently you like me."

"No," Hermione mimicked, "I'm just using you." Draco shook his head in disbelief. "Draco, just face it, you've created a monster."

"Well, monster," Draco joked, "would you like to go to dinner?"

"Is that a date?" Hermione asked, taking full advantage of the opening he'd left for her. "Because if memory serves, that'll be our first."

"I wouldn't trust your memory. It's been erased too many times. For all you know, we might already be married." Hermione faked a shiver at the thought.

"That was just cruel, and as for the question, NO. Consider your pratty self RE-JECTED." Hermione held up her hand in the shape of an L at him. "I'm going with Ron _and_ Harry." Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

"My, aren't we a playgirl?" Hermione got up quickly to leave, and as soon as he too was standing, Hermione bolted for the portrait hole.

**A/N: The only reason it was eleven years was it placed Hermione at the right age (according to Wikipedia her birthday's September 19th), also the wizarding world seems to like the # eleven. (Being that most folks are that age when entering Hogwarts.) It's short I know. I'm having the worst case of writer's block. Don't hate me, I thought you might the little I've worked on as opposed to nothing. **


	12. The Mark of McKlain

**A/N: The only reason it was eleven years was it placed Hermione at the right age (according to Wikipedia her birthday's September 19th), also the wizarding world seems to like the # eleven. (Being that most folks are that age when entering Hogwarts.) It's short I know. I'm having the worst case of writer's block. Don't hate me, I thought you might the little I've worked on as opposed to nothing. **

**Disclaimer:  
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,  
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl. **

**Chapter 11: _This story is much longer than I first expected. (A.K.A. The Mark of McKlain.) _**

Hermione slid into the Great Hall. She quickly pretended to have been walking the whole time down the corridors, though her flushed face gave her away. Draco entered not far behind her. Still trying to chace the girl that rejected him, he followed her to the Gryffindor table (despite the mob that might arise from this) and plopped down besides Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes at the platnum blonde across from her. He had a habit of not going away when you wanted him to. For once, however, Hermione didn't mind at all. Ron looked from Hermione-who was seated to his right-to Draco to the funny looks they were giving each other, to Harry-to see if he was catching any of this, which he wasn't. Ron poked Harry's leg with his foot to get his attention away from Ginny and onto the boy next to him. Harry looked over, shrugged, and went back to his conversation with Ron's sister.

"Alright you two," Ron nagged pointedly at Draco and Hermione, "what's going on that the other people of this table would like to know about? Last time we checked, Draco hated the lot of us, and Hermione was brain dead." Hermione stared quizically at him, and then realized what he meant.

"Well, this oaf got back my memory, and then promptly asked me out." Neville, who was on the other side of Ron, sent a large amount of pumpkin juice through his nose. Harry and Ginny, who'd been the main victims of this attack, began to wipe off their shirts and actually pay attention to the conversation to their left.

"You what!" Ron screeched shrilly at Draco. Hermione began to rub her ears in pain. Ron appologized profusely and then went back to interrogizing Draco. Draco in turn rolled his eyes and fell promptly into a over exaggerated drawl.

"Ronald. It's a really long story that I really don't feel like telling half of the Gryffindor table."

Draco began to ignore Ron's future attempts to pry the truth from him as he layered a thick coating of gravy on his plate. Ron finally gave up after ten minutes or so and turned his attentions to Harry and his conversation with the girls. Ginny suddenly burst out laughing and was bright pink. Harry leaned over and whispered the comment into Hermione's ear. She in turn screamed at how he could even joke like that. Harry just sat back and tried to look inncent. Ginny glanced at Hermione and burst out red again.

"What just happened over here?" Ron asked blankly. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Harry leaned over and whispered the comment in his ear. Ron too turned bright pink, though he also seemed overly shocked. Draco ignoring the three continued to pour on gravy, though he could hear what they were talking about. They were playing boxers or breifs, and at that moment Harry had predicted that Draco wore a black thong. Draco, surprisingly, was not amused.

"You know Harry, I much prefer red ones to black," Draco drawled. The skin around Harry's cheeks suddenly gained a nice magenta pigment to it, and he seemed in a hurry to go to the bathroom. Hermione's face paled. Draco leaned across the table to her and kissed her lightly. "Just a bit of fun love." Ron glared buckets.

"You are aware that there are other intellegent lifeforms seated at this table right?" Ron sneered.

"Really? I don't see any." Draco confeced. Ron pointed for Draco to turn around, a sullun look upon his face. Draco swiveled in his seat to see Blaise aproaching quickly.

"Hello Malfoy. I see you've found yourself a new whore. Hope that means you don't mind me taking your old one." Draco stood up-wand at the ready- so fast the air around Blaise's hair blew his blangs from his face. Blaise smirked. The wholety of the the Hall which had once been a hotbed of life fell completely silent. McGonagall came quickly over to the two boys to see what was the matter.

"Mr. Malfoy, I insist you explain your behavior this moment!"

Draco looked her square in the face. McGonagall could feel shivers run up her spine. His eyes were boring their way into her soul. Draco began to explain, but his gaze didn't soften any.

"Blaise Zambini, was sexually harassing Hermione, Mam," burst Neville. McGonagall turned to the rest of the Gryffindor table for witnesses. While her back was turned, Draco shot a look of superior triumph at Blaise, who glowered back.

"Don't you forget which side you've chosen, Malfoy. I'm sure your father won't. And neither will my master."

"At least I don't have a master, Zambini. Unlike you, I'm not a puppet to someone else's will. It's not that I love muggles. It's because I love being in charge that I'm standing here. You go tell your master _that_." Blaise shot him a look of pure loathing. 'You'll be the first to die at the hands of my lord,' was all it said.

'Then I will die proud,' was the look Draco shot back. McGonagall turned to the boys, obviously exasperated by the sudden outburst of chaos, and pushed her glasses high upon her face.

"Well." She stated, raising her glasses yet higher. "Blaise, the table is in consencous that you are the instagator in all this and that Draco was merely defending Hermione's honor. Though I must say that his methods are not widely appreciated." It seemed to Draco that McGonagall had waited such a moment for years and was greatly enjoying herself. "So in cases such as these, you will be spending a detention with Filtch tomarrow night." Blaise nodded then returned to his table in a rut. McGonagall however didn't budge. "Draco, if being seated at the Gryffindor table causes anymore problems. . .You know we aren't supposed to let you sit there." Draco nodded.

"They'll be more with the Slytherins. They think I'm a traitor." McGonagall gave a trace of a smile and left for her seat.

Draco replaced himself at the table. Everyone began to cheer on Neville for his spectacular save regarding the incident. Draco, however, while congradulated didn't receive nearly as much praise. He didn't mind though. He used to absence of attention to talk to Hermione.

"So, how are you doing?"

"Great," Hermione tried to convince, but the act was rather weak.

"Hermione, you can't help who you are. Leave it be." Hermione sighed deeply.

"I can't. What he said really hit home. I feel like that. I feel like a slut. And your costant kissing isn't helping any." Draco felt a tinge of guilt. "What if I turn out just like my father?"

"Hermione. You can't change that. It is part of you. All you can do is overcome your haritage. Don't think you're alone either. It's not like I want to be who I am." This statement shocked Hermione greatly. "My mum loves me out of duty. If she could get away, she would."

"She must be really proud of your escape then." Hermione commented in the hope it might cheer them up. Draco's face sank.

"Oh yeah, she's proud alright. Proud enough to toak a camel. Hermione, she's miserable, and all she wants is to inflict that on everyone else. If I ever see her again, she won't be proud, she'll hate me for leaving her in Hell."

"I guess we're both stuck with curses. Me with the Mark of McKlain, and you with the Malfoys."

"The sad thing is that we've switched places. I'm bound to be disowned for my change in loyalty, and now you've inherited a fortune. So um, since after school I'll be kicked out on the street to starve anyways, now might be the best time to ask if I can stay with you after school."

Hermione began to laugh. He sounded pathetic. "Where?"

"You inherited the mansion. You might want to sell it though. It's up in North Scottland." Hermione got an idea.

"That place must be huge. You know what? I could probably house all my closest friends up there. Obviously they'd have to pay rent, but that's like trading in an apartment for a castle, no extra charge."

"Actually I think it_ is _a castle. I'll bet anything half of it is plaid."

". . .With a huge liberary." Hermione nearly cooed.

"A huge plaid liberary."

Hermione gave his attics a look of annoyance. "First we all have to pass our O.W.L.S. and get jobs."

"And become Aurors," Ron suggested. Draco did a double take.

"Where's you come from?"

"We got tired of cheering on Neville." Harry and Ginny stated in unison.

"We have to practice quiditch," Harry noted. Draco suddenly seemed to have a great deal of preasure on his mind.

"Do you think they'll kick me off the team?" Harry and Ron shrugged. Ginny tried to assure him that they couldn't, though Dean seemed less certain. "Oh well. I don't want to go proffesional anyways. I would much rather run the ministry. Or better yet, I could take over the broom stick buisness." The Gryffindors just rolled their eyes. He was definately still a Slytherin, always wanting to be the best. Several of the Gryffindors decided that this was the best time to get out, before Draco started contemplating running Hogwarts or even the world. The rest just began to ignore the four students.

"Hey, Hermione, Ron, Draco, you know what we are?" Everyone just shook their heads in slight confusion. Harry pulled an all too familiar map from his pocket. "We're the Marauders."

"Who are the Marauders?" Draco asked. Hermione, Ron and Harry began to explain about everything they learned in the third year. "Oh, I call Padfoot!" Draco shouted.

"I'll be Moony," Hermione stated.

"Sorry Ron, but I'm not letting you be Prongs." Ron gritted his teeth at what that made him.

"Why dont' we just make up new nicknames," Hermione suggested wisely. Everyone else agreed. And for the rest of dinner, and long after everyone had left, the new Marauders began to make plans for the years after Hogwarts, and the rest of the one they were in.

_So we talked all night about the rest of our lives  
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25  
I keep thinking times will never change  
Keep on thinking things will always be the same  
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back  
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track  
And if you got something that you need to say  
You better say it right now  
'Cause you don't have another day  
'Cause we're moving on and can't slow it down  
These memories are playing like a film without sound  
I keep on thinking of the night in June  
I didn't know much of love but it came too soon  
And there was me and you when we got real blue  
We'd stay at home talking on the telephone  
We'd got so excited and get so scared  
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair  
And this is how it feels..._

As we go on, we remember  
All the times we had together  
And as our lives change  
Come whatever,  
We will still be friends forever

THE END!

**Thank you all for sticking it out and giving me the energy and support to finish my first fic. I'm so proud. (being that I've never finished anything in my entire life.) I can't express how much I love each and every one of you. And you might never know what this moment means to me. Thank you for keeping me going. **

**-The Wake just after Midnight, Aka, the author. **


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